We are very excited at BDPA about the programs and services that we provide for the development and well-being of IT students, professionals and executives. In fact, our local chapter in the Detroit area announced their upcoming program meeting topic and speaker forThursday, September 15, 2016 - http://www.meetup.com/BDPA-Detroit-Technology-Meetup/events/231680243/.

BDPA Detroit is an important stakeholder for BDPA. Therefore, we welcome your support and participation in the program meeting seminar with the the topic: 'Virtual Reality Systems at NASA'. Companies, large and small, are working to assess the benefits of VRS, while at the same time, find and develop talent to fill the skill void.

Bria Harris, a student research scientist in the Ecotek Lab program in Detroit, Michigan and a junior at Detroit Edison Early College of Excellence, was selected by NASA to participate in its Virtual Reality Academy. She is one of only eight students in the United States that were accepted into this unique program. NASA’s Discovery Lab Global VRA is a 12-hour, self-directed online course. The 12 hours are spread over six weeks, and contain tutorials in virtual world building, scripting, 3D modeling, and game design. The primary application development platform being used is OpenSim software. All projects are done in cooperation with a NASA virtual reality expert. Virtual reality technology is very important to space exploration. Being accepted into NASA’s Global VRA is a great milestone achievement for Bria. She has spent many long hours in the lab building up her capacity in designing and developing 3D virtual reality applications. Learning how to construct, integrate an animate objects in a 3D spatial environment is not easy. Bria has hands-on experience in developing virtual applications using Unity3D, OpenSim and LeapMotion software.

This promises to be a fun, interesting, and very interactive session. Make plans now to be there and bring a friend. This is also an opportunity for BDPA Detroit to share any recruitment needs with our audience of diverse technology professionals.